Removed KSA directors: 'We're the board'

Sandhu claims her supporters were too intimidated to attend the meeting.

By Matt DiMera
[news editor]

The five members of the Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) executive who were impeached at the Nov. 30 special general meeting (SGM) have refused to recognize their removal from the board.

Former executive directors Nina Sandhu, Bobby Padda, Jaspinder Ghuman, Tarun Takhar and Nipun Pandey attempted to enter the KSA offices on the Surrey campus, Thursday morning but were barred entry by Kwantlen security guards.

“We don’t recognize it whatsoever, they don’t even exist as a board right now. We’re the board,” Sandhu told The Runner.

The five directors were also accompanied by two former defendants in the lawsuit they recently settled with the KSA: Danish Butt and Jatinder “Joey” Atwal.

A visibly angry Sandhu accused security manager Harry McNeil and the university of taking sides and allowing the new board into the offices.

“Why have you given them the authority to be in the office?” Sandhu asked. “It looks like you’re working for them.”

In addition to several Kwantlen security guards present, a Surrey RCMP officer observed discreetly from the side, although he did not get involved.

Addressing The Runner, Sandhu accused the organizers of the special general meeting of not allowing her and the other ousted board members to speak in their own defense.

“We were barred,” she explained. “Ask the petitioners of that meeting why we were barred from the meeting. I’m a student. I’m an elected official. I was barred from the meeting.”

Sandhu was unable to say who specifically was responsible.

“Someone told me I wasn’t allowed in. He said you’re not allowed to get in. They wouldn’t let us register,” she said. “If I was let into the goddamn meeting, I could have said my statement.”

Pandey, the former director of operations, said he was able to register for the meeting, but claimed that he had also been refused entry.

When asked to explain why not a single student voted against the motion to impeach the board, Sandhu, Padda and Pandey claimed that their supporters had been too intimidated to attend.

“They were scared to come back because they got bear maced,” said Sandhu.

“Students were scared as hell,” said Padda. “That’s all I’m going to say.”

Sandhu insisted that while she and the other executives don’t believe that the SGM was racially motivated, other students do.

“The majority of students who got maced yesterday were Indo-Canadian,” she said. “As a student association we have said this is not a race issue . . . but we can’t control the students.”

Earlier, Sandhu approached newly-appointed transitional board member Arzo Ansary as she walked by, asking her to rectify the situation.

“I will find out what’s going on and let you know,” said Ansary before retreating into the KSA offices.

“I need to get into my office and work. You do not work here,” yelled Sandhu. “I work here.”

Shortly after, Langley campus director Jennifer Campbell, one of the four board members who were not impeached, came out to speak with Sandhu. The two agreed to meet later in the afternoon to discuss the situation.